Serenity23: Neurological symptoms - medical, stress, or SSRI withdrawal?

[Fresh]

Lots of us are using apple cider vinegar rather than medications to combat gut problems , in fact Offeffexor has been able to stop ppi's (see my thread) since drinking some every day.

It neutralizes acidity . . . 2 tablespoons in hot water with honey , once or twice a day.   ACV has loads of other health benefits  , see http://draxe.com/apple-cider-vinegar-uses/

 

New medical research also suggests that apple cider vinegar use can help cure acid reflux, lower blood pressure, improve diabetes, and support weight loss.

The benefits of apple cider vinegar come from it’s powerful healing compounds which include acetic acid, potassium, magnesium, probiotics and enzymes.

Acetic acid has the ability to kill dangerous “bad” bacteria, and at the same time to foster the growth of beneficial “good” bacteria. Because acetic acid kills unwanted bacteria when it comes into contact with it, it essentially acts as a natural antibiotic. This means apple cider vinegar naturally provides numerous benefits related to skin, digestion, and immunity health without any side effects

[Fresh]

Sorry about the harsh font - I cut and pasted and it was automatic.

I don't think you'd need to taper the ppi if it's only been a few days.  This thread may help:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/4361-tips-for-tapering-off-stomach-acid-blockers-or-ppis-esomeprazole-lansoprazole-omeprazol

[Serenity23]

Fresh, thank you so much!!! :-) I will try the apple cider vinegar. :-) Thank you for doing the research for me. The more time I spend more anxious I get.

 

So if you were me, you'd go from 40 to 0 and not worry or would you go from 40 to 20 0? I did read through that link but didn't find anything about the tapering except someone from this site who suggested 25%. Then again, I haven't been on it long, true.

 

But today I've been extremely anxious/hyper/jittery and although I haven't been on Trazadone for that long, I didn't take it last night to see if the diarrhea stopped. I wonder if I should have tapered that, too? I ended up needing a Xanax tonight.

[Fresh]

I haven't needed to learn about tapering ppi's Serenity , perhaps you could post a question on the tapering thread.  The number of days you've

taken it will be important.

 

As Alto mentioned , the longer you take trazodone the more likely you'll need to taper it.   If it's been most days for more than a couple of weeks ,

I'd be inclined to go down in increments rather than just stop.

 

I was given grated apple for diarrhea . . . as the apple turns brown , it produces something or other that helps.  From increments to excrements in

one sentence . . . somehow I find that funny.

 

[Serenity23]

I started 25mg Trazadone on 8/8 and 40mg Protonix on 8/6. It hasn't been that long, but my system is still very sensitive.

 

To play it safe, I took 12.5mg Trazadone last night, to see if that will help keep the anxiety at bay. Miraculously, I slept through the night. I did have to take 25mg Xanax yesterday at about 5:30 because I was extremely anxious. I took 20mg Protonix this morning. I'm undecided how long to tapper like this for, maybe 5-7 days? My concern is that I've been on these meds for such a short time, that I'm sort of doing an ironic thing staying on them to tapper. 

 

Fresh, I will definitely add the Apple cider vinegar if I start to get rebound acid. That is interesting about the grated apple turning brown helping with diarrhea. I know applesauce is supposed to help with diarrhea but I hadn't heard about the brown apple pieces. Interesting!

[Serenity23]

* topic moved from the symptoms forum

 

With the new research on the gut and brain/mood connection, I was curious to hear from others how they successfully repaired their gut.

 

I took a lot of antibiotics as a child and adult, and a lot of antacids as a child, and my gut has never been right. I am curious about the connection between gut health and anxiety/depression.

 

I hope it is ok that I started a new topic. I did a "search" in the forums and did not find anything with "gut health" in the topic title.

Edited August 26, 2015 by Petunia
moved from symptoms section and added note

[freespirit]

There is some very good discussion and links on this thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3413-digestive-problems-nausea-diarrhea-bloating-gerd/

 

and this one:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1229-probiotics-and-gut-health/

 

The best way to search is not through SA itself, but on google...

[Serenity23]

There is some very good discussion and links on this thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3413-digestive-problems-nausea-diarrhea-bloating-gerd/

 

and this one:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1229-probiotics-and-gut-health/

 

The best way to search is not through SA itself, but on google...

Thank you, free spirit. :-) Do you mean doing a search on google that includes "surviving antidepressants"? I don't usually like to do straight google searches, because there's a lot of misinformation on the internet.

[freespirit]

Hi Serenity,

 

Yes, include SA in your search. Sorry for not being more clear about that. Beyond meds has a number of articles and links about gut health. Monica has done a lot of work around that.

 

It's something I'm still working on myself. Diet, exercise, qi gong, and meditation were my primary things. I'm now able to take a simple probiotic. A lot of things that others have found helpful are not available to me, because of the histamine issue..like apple cider vinegar, kefir, sauerkraut. I recently started seeing an acupuncturist with the hope it might help things some. Like many of the symptoms, it's a complex issue and not always easy to figure out what might help most..as the causes and treatment are very individual. I believe it's something very worthy of looking into though. I wish you well with finding healing that works for you.

[Serenity23]

Hi Serenity,

 

Yes, include SA in your search. Sorry for not being more clear about that. Beyond meds has a number of articles and links about gut health. Monica has done a lot of work around that.

 

It's something I'm still working on myself. Diet, exercise, qi gong, and meditation were my primary things. I'm now able to take a simple probiotic. A lot of things that others have found helpful are not available to me, because of the histamine issue..like apple cider vinegar, kefir, sauerkraut. I recently started seeing an acupuncturist with the hope it might help things some. Like many of the symptoms, it's a complex issue and not always easy to figure out what might help most..as the causes and treatment are very individual. I believe it's something very worthy of looking into though. I wish you well with finding healing that works for you.

Hi freespirit,

 

Thanks for your message. My apologies, sometimes when my anxiety is bad I need things spelled out.

 

What is the histamine issue you have?

 

I hope the acupunturist helps you. I saw one for a short time when a closet door fell on me, and it helped a lot.

 

Thank you for sharing what has worked for you. I wish you continued healing. :-)

[Serenity23]

Update:

 

The treatment differences between my pdoc and therapist is causing me a great deal of stress. My therapist refuses to do CBT, give me tools for the anxiety, or mindfulness (he doesn't believe it works, although I told him in the past it helped me) because he thinks with my OCD I will use the tools he gives me in a weird way. Whenever I ask him "What should I do if I have an anxiety attack?" He says, "You just keep looking for me to give you answers." It stresses me out so much. A couple of people here gave me the suggestion of the coloring book. I tried it. It works. That's all I'm looking for. Tools.

 

My pdoc wants him to do these things, and he's not. I know they haven't worked in the past, because I can't seem to cut the anxiety down enough to actually do what is suggested to me, or I bounce around from one tool to the next. I want help with that. What he wants to do, however, is something called "exposure therapy" and just the thought of it makes me incredibly anxious. I'm supposed to run toward the anxiety/OCD and let it reach 90-100% and watch it drop. Personally I feel this is the last thing my sensitive nervous system needs right now. I am still healing. Any thoughts or experience on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'm sleeping through the night on 12.5mg Trazadone. I weaned the Protonix down to 20mg but the last couple of days I had awful dizzy spells. The pharmacist told me dizziness was the first side effect listed for Protonix so she suggested I stop it.

 

My anxiety is still there in waves and I still am easily triggered but it is improving, I think, at an extremely slow rate. I can feel my brain is still loopy, squirrely and wavy at times, though. I tried to explain it to my therapist but I don't think he understood.

 

It's still hard to tell what the medical stuff underneath the anxiety is. The kidney doctor still says it's related to a stomach bug and the Zoloft and that the hyponatremia could happen again.

 

My husband says when I am coloring in the coloring book for adults, I am at my calmest, and I've been only using that for when the anxiety is really bad. I am not much of a sports fan, but watching baseball on tv, due it's slow speed, I have found to be calming, too. I still have to be very careful with what I watch on tv because I'm still very easily triggered ever since July's cold turkey in the hospital. I hope this goes away soon.

[freespirit]

Hi Serenity, 

 

After I jumped off Remeron, I developed severe allergic symptoms--hives, sneezing, weepy eyes, terrible digestion, migraines, etc. Mirt has strong antihistamine properties, so that was part of the cause I think (but who knows for sure). A few months after, I reduced then stopped the PPI I'd been taking as well. I believe that was a part of things too. My gut was a mess from all those years of meds. It helped me to reduce the histamine in my diet. Most of the symptoms improved a lot, save the gut issues...which has been a very long path.

 

If you want to read more about histamine intolerance on here, this is the thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3503-histamine-food-intolerance/

 

My 1 visit with the acupuncturist has so far been encouraging. After a couple of bumpy days, I've now had 4 days in a row of almost normal digestion. It's been so long since it has been normal, I didn't even know what that might feel like. I'll be going back to see her in about a month from now..and have just started taking an herb that she sent home with me...will see how that goes.

[Serenity23]

What are some of everyone's favorite links on SA about techniques that have worked best in dealing with anxiety?

[Petunia]

There is some good information here:

 

Non-drug techniques to cope with emotional symptoms

 

This is my favorite link which contains calming videos and guided meditations:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6122-guided-meditations-calming-videos-sleep-hypnosis/

[Serenity23]

Thank you, Petunia.

[Serenity23]

The more clear-headed I've been getting, the more I wonder if there is something wrong with my adrenal glands from either all the anxiety, from AD withdrawal, or from being on AD for 20 years.

 

I did read that it seems western doctors are taught about "adrenal insufficiency" but supposedly labs only come back abnormal when it is really bad and has progressed to the level of Addison's Disease. I'm not sure why there aren't tests or diagnostic tools to test for problems in very early stages.

 

I also read that alternative health practitioners believe in "adrenal fatigue" which they measure with a saliva cortisol test. Western doctors don't believe "adrenal fatigue" is a real thing and that this test is inaccurate.

 

This topic is especially interesting to me because I read that the adrenal glands play a role in SALT AND FLUID BALANCE. I am just wondering if what caused the critical hyponatremia has something to do with my adrenal glands.

 

[Serenity23]

Hi Serenity, 

 

After I jumped off Remeron, I developed severe allergic symptoms--hives, sneezing, weepy eyes, terrible digestion, migraines, etc. Mirt has strong antihistamine properties, so that was part of the cause I think (but who knows for sure). A few months after, I reduced then stopped the PPI I'd been taking as well. I believe that was a part of things too. My gut was a mess from all those years of meds. It helped me to reduce the histamine in my diet. Most of the symptoms improved a lot, save the gut issues...which has been a very long path.

 

If you want to read more about histamine intolerance on here, this is the thread: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3503-histamine-food-intolerance/

 

My 1 visit with the acupuncturist has so far been encouraging. After a couple of bumpy days, I've now had 4 days in a row of almost normal digestion. It's been so long since it has been normal, I didn't even know what that might feel like. I'll be going back to see her in about a month from now..and have just started taking an herb that she sent home with me...will see how that goes.

Hi Freespirit,

 

I am sorry you developed allergy reactions when getting off of Remeron. I'm glad your symptoms for the most part have improved. I hope your gut improves fully. I stopped taking the Protonix--weaned down from 40 to 20 to 10 and my gut seems ok. I also just started drinking 4oz Kefir at night and being more vigilant with my diet in regards to sugar and caffeine.

 

I'm glad your acupuncturist visit went well! I'm considering going back to see an acupuncturist, too. I just hate how expensive they are and that they're not covered under insurance. I hadn't realized that acupuncturists can help with digestion. I hope it continues to go well for you.

[Serenity23]

Update:

 

I took 12.5mg Trazadone for a few days and last night I took none. Pdoc spoke as if I should take it every night at bedtime, but the nurse and my regular doctor felt it should be only prn. Last night, I took none. I woke up in the middle of the night, jittery, and this morning I woke up with what seems to be "morning cortisol". Very jittery and pent up upon waking without any reason.

 

I'm extremely discouraged. I want to wean off Zoloft already and not have to live with the fear of side effects from being on meds for 20+ years. Part of me wonders if I should just wave the white flag and stay on it for life although that is exactly what I don't want to do.

 

Positive note--I meditated for about 2-3 minutes before seeing my doctor and I was extremely calm. Even my blood pressure was extremely low.

[apace41]

Hi, Serenity.  Sorry you had that cortisol spike.  Very uncomfortable.

 

I understand you are frustrated and discouraged, however, if you want to get off the meds (and it sounds like you do) you will need to adopt a longer time horizon for doing so.  Having been on for 20 years, you aren't likely to successfully avoid protracted withdrawal if you rush off because you want to be done.  You know that and are, I assume, venting because the process is long, tedious and painful.

 

I get that completely, however, if you conclude that the upside of getting off, albeit over a longer period of time than any of us would like, you will stick with the methods delineated on SA. 

 

As always, the choice is up to you, however, long-term AD use may or may not be viable even if you choose that path.

 

Best,

 

Andy

[freespirit]

Hi Serenity,

 

It's a certain adjustment mentally, to paying for treatments. Here, western medical treatments are nearly all covered...while alternatives are not. I have medical insurance that pays a very small portion of things like acupuncture, massage, and seeing the naturopath. But for me, these are not alternative treatments, but more, my mainstay. Health is my chief priority right now, and if means giving up some other things, I'm willing to do that.

 

That 1 acupuncture treatment produced really profound results. My digestion continues to be normal, and I'm not reacting to foods that I have been since I jumped off. I'm still careful about what and how much I eat, and I'm okay with that.

 

I believe there's greater potential for healing where a method looks at treating the cause, rather than just the symptom. But that's what's true for me, and not necessarily, everyone's reality. I've been willing to suspend judgement and just open to possibilities around healing, and that's proved beneficial. I can't site studies that show homeopathy, acupuncture, and a lot of the things I've done show miracles (partly because there's very little research at at all). But they have proven miraculous for me, and that's what matters.

 

I think that's very significant that a few minutes of meditation meant lower blood pressure and feeling calm...perhaps it's something you'd consider doing regularly or exploring more? If you want to get off the meds, it is a long-term process and the more ways you have of coping with what arises, the better. I'm a firm believer in things that we can do for ourselves.

[Serenity23]

Hi, Serenity.  Sorry you had that cortisol spike.  Very uncomfortable.

 

I understand you are frustrated and discouraged, however, if you want to get off the meds (and it sounds like you do) you will need to adopt a longer time horizon for doing so.  Having been on for 20 years, you aren't likely to successfully avoid protracted withdrawal if you rush off because you want to be done.  You know that and are, I assume, venting because the process is long, tedious and painful.

 

I get that completely, however, if you conclude that the upside of getting off, albeit over a longer period of time than any of us would like, you will stick with the methods delineated on SA. 

 

As always, the choice is up to you, however, long-term AD use may or may not be viable even if you choose that path.

 

Best,

 

Andy

Hi Andy,

 

Thank you for your message. I recall you were the one who warned me that if I took the Trazadone, I'd have to wean off that as well. I started the Trazadone, 25mg, on 8/8. I guess I assumed since it's been less than a month, that going from 12.5mg to 0mg would have been safe?? What would you have done? Should I have followed the SA schedule of tapering, even though I was on it for such a short time?

 

I am much more than willing to follow SA's protocol for tapering, and was ready to do so with the Zoloft. It just gets very confusing when my entire support system tells me that I'm anxious and need to increase the Zoloft. It is extremely frustrating that no one gets the difference between Antidepressant Withdrawal and true anxiety.

 

Before this July incident happened, I was hoping to start the SA way of tapering off of the Zoloft. But now I am still getting over the withdrawal symptoms from July of being cold-turkeyed off of it in the hospital, followed by my bit of hypomania induced over confidence of "I feel great being off of it, perhaps I'll stay off of it", when you and Fresh urged me to go back on (for that I am forever grateful). So now I have to start over again, as I did after February's hospitalization, a few more months of my brain getting restablized on the 25mg Zoloft.

 

So I am unsure if this morning's coritsol spike (I am still feeling it, even though I am not feeding into it) is due to the stopping the Trazadone or due to just reestablishing the Zoloft? Or is it due to not sleeping very well. Opinions appreciated as always.

 

The very last thing I want is to be on AD's for the rest of my life. I want to be free of them, but I am scared that I will never be. I don't think I communicated that right.

[apace41]

 

Hi Andy,

 

 

Thank you for your message. I recall you were the one who warned me that if I took the Trazadone, I'd have to wean off that as well. I started the Trazadone, 25mg, on 8/8. I guess I assumed since it's been less than a month, that going from 12.5mg to 0mg would have been safe?? What would you have done? Should I have followed the SA schedule of tapering, even though I was on it for such a short time?

 

It's hard to say, Serenity.  Everyone's chemistry is so different.  Given the fact that your CNS is probably so sensitive at this point, I would probably advocate doing a couple of weeks on 1/2 the dose and then going off, but that's me.  After tapering 2.5 years of benzos and planning 2.5 years to taper the SSRI, I can't imagine NOT TAPERING.  My p-doc thinks that I need the "safety net" but she doesn't see what I do with protracted withdrawal on this site.

 

 

I am much more than willing to follow SA's protocol for tapering, and was ready to do so with the Zoloft. It just gets very confusing when my entire support system tells me that I'm anxious and need to increase the Zoloft. It is extremely frustrating that no one gets the difference between Antidepressant Withdrawal and true anxiety.

 

It is frustrating but if you have done your diligence, are comfortable that there are no underlying physical ailments that would account for your symptoms, and can link it logically to the A/D, then it IS the A/D and you should do your best to ignore what others think because they simply don't and can't get it.  It is logical for them to simply want the "old you" back, but that doesn't mean that is what is best for you.

 

Before this July incident happened, I was hoping to start the SA way of tapering off of the Zoloft. But now I am still getting over the withdrawal symptoms from July of being cold-turkeyed off of it in the hospital, followed by my bit of hypomania induced over confidence of "I feel great being off of it, perhaps I'll stay off of it", when you and Fresh urged me to go back on (for that I am forever grateful). So now I have to start over again, as I did after February's hospitalization, a few more months of my brain getting restablized on the 25mg Zoloft.

 

You will be able to start a proper taper soon enough.  Concentrate on getting yourself stable and then you can start moving forward.  Don't look at it as "it's so long until I'm off" because a reduction in dose of any amount is a good thing so long as you can do it without compromising health.

 

So I am unsure if this morning's coritsol spike (I am still feeling it, even though I am not feeding into it) is due to the stopping the Trazadone or due to just reestablishing the Zoloft? Or is it due to not sleeping very well. Opinions appreciated as always.

 

It's always hard to know exactly what is the cause of what when there are multiple variables in play.  Given the close proximity in time to going off the Trazadone, my vote (if there is a poll involved  ) would be that the Trazadone removal caused the cortisol spike.  I would personally reintroduce 6.25 of Trazadone tonight and see if you do better.  Others might have a different view. 

 

The very last thing I want is to be on AD's for the rest of my life. I want to be free of them, but I am scared that I will never be. I don't think I communicated that right.

 

While there are a lot of "really bad" protracted withdrawal stories on this site and others, and that possibility always exists, the vast majority of people that get off of A/Ds are able to move forward with their lives.  For some it can take longer than others but the vast majority do heal.  It is always important to remember that this site is a microcosm of people who are suffering with w/d and it is great that a site like this exists for those of us in need.  Many have come and gone from this site and logic would dictate that many of them have not come back because they are off and are leading their lives without A/D.  Are there some that fall into other, more troubling categories?  Of course.  I continue to believe that they are significantly in the minority.

 

All the best, Serenity.

 

Andy

[Serenity23]

Thank you Andy. I will reintroduce 6.25mg Trazadone tonight, since my brain is getting more squirrely and my body more jittery as the day goes on without cause.  Do I just cut it (it's a 50mg pill) or should I weigh it? I did get one of those tiny scales for tapering but I've never done this before so I'm unsure how to make sure it's 6.25mg.

[apace41]

Do I just cut it (it's a 50mg pill) or should I weigh it?

 

I would think you need to weigh it before you cut off a piece and then shave that piece until you get to the right weight.  Best would be to have oral Trazadone but you should be able to get there.

[Serenity23]

 

Do I just cut it (it's a 50mg pill) or should I weigh it?

 

I would think you need to weigh it before you cut off a piece and then shave that piece until you get to the right weight.  Best would be to have oral Trazadone but you should be able to get there.

 

Apologies, Andy, but tapering this way is new to me, since previously I followed pdoc's tapering (which did not work). What is the mathematical formula for weighing it whole, and then figuring out what it should weigh at the milligrams I want? Thanks.

[apace41]

 

Apologies, Andy, but tapering this way is new to me, since previously I followed pdoc's tapering (which did not work). What is the mathematical formula for weighing it whole, and then figuring out what it should weigh at the milligrams I want? Thanks.

 

I'm no expert, Serenity, but the dose you want is 1/8 of the total dose of the pill. If you weigh the pill and cut a piece that weighs about 1/8 of the total weight that should correspond to 6.25mg.  I wouldn't kill myself on accuracy.  Between 6 and 6.5 should suffice for this purpose in my view.

[Fresh]

Good morning guys (4am here , lol).   Thought I'd weigh in on the weigh in.

Serenity , if the pills are 100mg , take the total weight of one whole pill (perhaps it's 380 mg).  Divide by 100 to work out the weight of 1mg

(that would be 3.8mg) .

Then just multiply by the number if mg's you want.

[Serenity23]

Thanks Fresh and Andy. :-) I figured it was a cross multiplication/finding X sort of thing.

 

Has anyone had "brain whirls" before? It's different than brain zaps with Effexor withdrawal. This is definitely a whirling sound.

[Petunia]

Hi Serenity,

I just wanted to support the good advice you've been getting from Andy, you do need to taper the Trazodone if you have been taking it regularly. See:

 

Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel) - Surviving ...

 

When I was in acute withdrawal I got all kinds of strange sounds in my head, one of them was like a loud wooshing sound, often as I was falling asleep.

[Serenity23]

Thank you Petunia.I took 25mg Trazadone every night from 8/8 until about 8/26 when I switched to 12mg and one night to 0mg. I didn't think taking an SSRI for less than a month would have left me to have to taper??

 

Thank you Andy and Petunia. The 6mg Trazadone is helping. I'm sleeping.

 

I'm still jittery during the day but I think that's left over from the Zoloft hospital cold turkey. My nervous system is taking a while to calm down. I still feel like I need to build back my reserves. Is there a topic on that--building back your reserves after a crash like this?

[Serenity23]

Hi Serenity,

I just wanted to support the good advice you've been getting from Andy, you do need to taper the Trazodone if you have been taking it regularly. See:

 

Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel) - Surviving ...

 

When I was in acute withdrawal I got all kinds of strange sounds in my head, one of them was like a loud wooshing sound, often as I was falling asleep.

 

WOAH.

 

I just read this link.

 

I am mildly freaking out here. What the heck?! My pdoc made Trazadone sound like nothing. And even when I had GI issues from it, he said, "stop taking it and see if that helps."

 

Seriously.

 

What the heck is going on with these meds?! And why doesn't my pdoc know about this?!

 

I was told Trazadone was extremely safe to take with both Zoloft and with Xanax.

 

I'm wondering now if the jitteriness I am getting during the day is because of taking both Trazadone and Zoloft?!

 

I want off this drug.

 

How many days at 6mg should I do?

 

Am I at risk of Serotonin Syndrome here?

 

I think I would have been better off just taking the Xanax for sleep at this point instead of the Trazadone.

[Serenity23]

 

Hi Serenity,

I just wanted to support the good advice you've been getting from Andy, you do need to taper the Trazodone if you have been taking it regularly. See:

 

Tips for tapering off trazodone (Desyrel) - Surviving ...

 

When I was in acute withdrawal I got all kinds of strange sounds in my head, one of them was like a loud wooshing sound, often as I was falling asleep.

 

WHOA.

 

I just read this link.

 

I am mildly freaking out here. What the heck?!  My pdoc made taking Trazadone sound like nothing. And even when I had GI issues from it, he said, "stop taking it and see if that helps." Seriously.  He made it sound like it'd be no big deal to stop the Trazadone. What the heck is going on with these meds?! And why doesn't my pdoc know about the info in this link?!  I was told Trazadone was extremely safe to take with both Zoloft and with Xanax.

 

I'm wondering now if the jitteriness I am getting during the day is because of taking both Trazadone and Zoloft?!  I want off this drug. How many days at 6mg should I do?

 

Am I at risk of Serotonin Syndrome here? I think I would have been better off just taking the Xanax for sleep at this point instead of the Trazadone.

 

[apace41]

Serenity,

 

Understand you are frustrated and irritated at the pdoc, but as we've seen over and over, they either don't know the side effects or they simply buy into what the pharma reps tell them.  On the one hand, you can look at it and blame them if that makes you feel better.  On the other, you can be self-critical, like many of us, and say "why didn't I know better?"  Bottom line is that neither of those things help the situation. You are where you are and the best thing to do is find the tools to safely get off the meds over time.  Personally, I would take 6mg of traz for 3-4 weeks.  They I would probably do half of that again for 3-4 weeks. Then I would go off.  If you want to go from 6 to 0 you can but you might feel that for a while.  I don't think you are at risk of serotonin syndrome as you were on more and didn't have it -- unlikely you would have it now.

 

Hang in there.  It will get better.

 

Glad the 6 is helping you sleep.

 

Andy

[Fresh]

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  

 

Edmund Burke
Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797)

[Serenity23]

Serenity,

 

Understand you are frustrated and irritated at the pdoc, but as we've seen over and over, they either don't know the side effects or they simply buy into what the pharma reps tell them.  On the one hand, you can look at it and blame them if that makes you feel better.  On the other, you can be self-critical, like many of us, and say "why didn't I know better?"  Bottom line is that neither of those things help the situation. You are where you are and the best thing to do is find the tools to safely get off the meds over time.  Personally, I would take 6mg of traz for 3-4 weeks.  They I would probably do half of that again for 3-4 weeks. Then I would go off.  If you want to go from 6 to 0 you can but you might feel that for a while.  I don't think you are at risk of serotonin syndrome as you were on more and didn't have it -- unlikely you would have it now.

 

Hang in there.  It will get better.

 

Glad the 6 is helping you sleep.

 

Andy

Andy,

 

I just don't understand why doctors buy into what pharma reps tell them.

 

That being said, you're absolutely right. I need to stop focusing on that, and focus more on using the tools here to get off the meds. I wish I could that automatically instead of focusing on the emotional aspect of this. I do that too much.

 

Thanks for your suggestion about the Trazadone. I'm doing well with the taper but I admit I got confused because my generic Zoloft as a whole pill is 25mg but the Trazadone as a whole pill is 50mg. So I am unsure which days I was taking 12 and which days I was taking 6 but I am trying to keep it consistent now.

 

I continue to sleep fairly well. Side effects are vivid/strange dreams, and physical jitteriness/anxiety especially in the morning that seems to lesson when the Zoloft hits my system.

 

Any tools for how to keep the physical anxiety from turning into mental anxiety? I never realized I was doing that automatically.

[Serenity23]

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  

 

Edmund Burke

Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797)

:-(